The present invention is particularly applicable, but not necessarily restricted, to the processing of organic carbonaceous materials under pressure at elevated temperatures, whereby the energy introduced to effect a heating of the feed material and to effect the desired reaction is substantially recovered, providing for improved efficiency and economies in the practice of the process. Typical of processes to which the present invention is applicable is the drying of various naturally-occurring organic carbonaceous materials, such as peat, for example, to effect a removal of the predominant proportion of moisture therefrom; the thermal treatment of subbituminous coals, such as lignite, for example, to render it more suitable as a solid fuel; the production of activated chars or carbon products by subjecting organic carbonaceous materials to elevated pyrolysis temperatures, followed by an activation treatment; the pyrolysis of carbonaceous feed materials at elevated temperatures to effect a thermal cracking and/or degradation thereof into gaseous products producing a fuel gas; and the like. In each of the aforementioned processes, the feed material is heated to a controlled elevated temperature while in a controlled ambient environment for a period of time to achieve the desired thermal treatment. In the case of the upgrading of subbituminous coals, such as lignite, the heating is performed under controlled elevated pressures, whereby a controlled thermal restructuring of the lignitic structure is achieved in addition to the extraction of the predominant proportion of moisture therefrom.
Process equipment and processing techniques heretofore employed in the thermal treatment of organic carbonaceous feed materials have presented problems in the efficient utilization of energy introduced and/or evolved, the necessity of employing a plurality of interconnected units for performing the process steps requiring substantial capital expenditures for equipment and an inefficient use of plant space, the difficulty and complexity of controls necessary in many instances to enable operation of such processes on a continuous basis, the difficulties encountered in providing for an adequate seal of the equipment at the feed material entrance and product discharge and the general lack of flexibility and versatility of such equipment for adaptation to the processing of other materials at different temperatures and/or pressures.
The apparatus and process of the present invention overcomes many of the problems and disadvantages associated with prior art equipment and techniques by providing an integral process unit which is of simple design, of durable construction, which is versatile in use and can be readily adapted for processing different feed materials under different temperature and/or pressure conditions to produce different products. The apparatus of the present invention is further characterized as being of simple control and efficient in the utilization and recovery of heat energy, thereby providing for economical operation and a conservation of resources.